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Currahee
'"Currahee" '''is the first episode of ''Band of Brothers. It follows the men from basic training at Camp Toccoa under the strict command of Herbert Sobel, to the preparation in England for the invasion of Normandy. Synopsis As the men of Easy company prepare for the darkest night of their lives, they think back on their days in training and their time under the command of someone they hated almost as much as the Nazis: Captain Herbert Sobel. Plot In June 5th, 1944 at Upottery Airfield near Aldbourne, England, the men of Easy Company are looking forward and very eager to the upcoming invasion of Normandy. Their excitement is interrupted by their commanding officer 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan, stating that the invasion is delayed due to weather conditions, much to the men's dismay. The scene then jumps inside a theater where 1st Lieutenant Richard Winters exits the tent and haves a brief chat with his friend 1st Lieutenant Lewis Nixon, who recalls Easy Company's first CO: Captain Herbert Sobel. Two years earlier chastises Private Frank Perconte for blousing his pants like a paratrooper]] 2nd Platoon is in formation and is waiting for their CO. 1st Lt. Sobel arrives with 1st Sergeant William Evans but then berates the men for being in a "position of attention." He then scolds Private Frank Perconte, then Private George Luz, Sergeant Carwood Lipton to Private Donald Malarkey and finally Private Joseph Liebgott, where Sobel takes his rusty bayonet then again scolded the rest of the men only to have all their weekend passes revoked. Sobel then commands 2nd Platoon to change into their PT gear and be prepared to run up Currahee. The men change into their PT gear except for Private White, who is questioned by Sergeant Lipton, who then walks away after realizing that the man is quitting. The men continue to Currahee, under Sobel's merciless command, even forcing the men to continue up as Private Warren Muck twisted his ankles. After running up the mountain, the men continue to run back down. hates us, sir."]] After a tiresome run at Currahee, Easy Company then marches at midnight challenged by their CO to not drink from their canteen. Also feeling exhausted, Private Denver Randleman complains to Winters, saying that their CO hates Easy Company. Winters replied that Sobel does not hate his company but rather hates Randleman, attracting chuckles from other men. After a 12-mile long midnight march, the difficult task for Easy Company is now tested. One man failed to do so by the name of Burton Christenson, who was ordered by Sobel to repeat the long and debilitating march. Dismayed, Sobel chastises Winters for allowing the men disobey his orders and arriving late. The next day, Easy Company had a physical but intense training, practicing jumping exercises, going through obstacles and crawling below a barbed wire with pig guts on the ground. As for Sobel's outstanding leadership skills, Colonel Robert Sink promoted him to Captain. Also for Winters, Sink was planning to promote him, but suggests that Sobel should do it, saying that Winters would be proud to be promoted by him. Inside Easy Company's barracks, Sobel finds many contrabands (also having Private Parks get rid of due to thievery of U.S. Army Property) and revoked all weekend passes. Then Sobel calls Winters outside to promote him to 1st Lieutenant. Sobel assigns Winters as the mess officer for two weeks as test of his organizational skills. As a "welcoming change of pace", Sobel chooses spaghetti to be their special breakfast meal. However, some Easy Company men still did not appreaciate the change. Captain Sobel suddenly enters the building and orders the men to run up Currahee with the men's stomachs still full. Some men vomit spaghetti along with Private Donald Hoobler, who is discouraged by Sobel along with Private Walter Gordon and Randleman. However, rather than giving up, they sing a repeated line, "We pull upon the risers, we fall upon the grass. We never land up on our feet, we always hit our ass. Hide tidee, Christ Almighty, who the hell are we? Zim-zam, Goddamn, we're Airborne Infantry!" Leaving Sobel behind in annoyance. The episode then moves to Fort Benning, where an officer lectures them about the parachuting. It is stated that upon succession of the fifth and final jump, they are now certified paratroopers. And after a series of jumps, Easy Company is now certified paratroopers. A celebration is held for the 506th PIR where a proud Colonel Sink happily joins the men. June 23, 1943 At Camp Mackall, North Carolina, the men are doing paratrooper training, however, Sobel believes that they are on the wrong position and needs the men to move out. He commands Winters to order them to move out, at first, he protested, but then reluctantly tells the men to move out, much to their confusion. But Sobel's idea goes haywire after another group of soldiers ambush them. Infuriated, Sobel picks three men to be left behind. After the failed training, Winters and Nixon meet a new officer from the 82nd transferred to Easy Company named Harry Welsh. Some paratroopers then talks about Sobel's lack of leadership skills, which Sergeant Lipton overhears as they are on their way to aboard the ship en route to England. At Aldbourne, England, the men train on types of weapons, fighting, positions and many more along with lecturing from officers. Another training goes again, this time Sobel with 1st Platoon and Winters with 2nd and 3rd. Sobel is lost again because of a barbed wire fence blocking their path, and yet serves another annoyance to his men. Winters states that Sobel is late, but on Sobel's side, Luz was persuaded by the others who believe that they will fool Sobel to mimic Major Oliver Horton to get the platoon moving. Luz manages to fool Sobel under Major Horton's voice by cutting the barbed wire fence to get the men moving. On Winters' side, they change their positions that completed their objective: to get to 2nd Platoon. Following their task, Sobel is scolded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Strayer because of cutting the fence, letting the cows wander around the area. Winters then meets with Sobel after cleaning the latrines at a wrong time. Sobel lets Winters choose his punishment: a 60-day weekend pass removal or a trial by court martial. Much to Sobel's surprise, Winters chooses trial by court martial. The other NCOs, not happy with Winters' decision and stating that they would not follow Sobel decides to write a letter to Colonel Sink about not being happy with the company. After reading the letters, Colonel Sink meets with the NCOs and scolds them all, ought for all of them to be shot, however, thankfully they are at the brink of a massive war larger than any other war in history. Sink gets rid of Staff Sergeant Salty Harris, he demotes Sergeant Myron Ranney to Private. Sink considers all the NCOs a disgrace to the entire army. They walk out and see Winters, which they salute. Colonel Sink then talks to Sobel after this incident, and after a brief chat, Sink announces that Sobel is being transferred into another regiment in Chilton Foliat, much to the dismay of Sobel. Back to 1944 at Upottery, England, days before the present time where the men are preparing for the invasion, Winters talks with newly transferred 2nd Lieutenant Lynn Compton about his unusual bond with the other paratroopers, involving gambling, but Winters considers gambling dangerous and asks Compton what if he won, leaving the latter speechless. Winter enters the new Easy Company's CO's tent named 1st Lieutenant Thomas Meehan, saying that he had a compass on their last training jump. They then team up to find where they are jumping to: at Normandy. Nixon then had a lecture with the officers about the invasion following a lecture by Meehan to the whole company. The episode then moves to the other soldiers, with some soldiers complaining about the weight of their suit such as Corporal Joseph Toye, who said he "could use some brass knuckles." Then the scene cuts to Private Allen Vest delivering mail to Sergeant John Martin who finds out that Sergeant William Guarnere's brother, Henry is killed in Monte Cassino. Martin decides to keep it a secret, but just a day before the jump, William took the wrong jacket (Martin's jacket) and finds out his brother was killed. The next day, Guarnere brings back Martin's received letter, and said he read it, saying that he is only sorry for his mother. The two say goodbye as they get on the plane. But before getting on the plane, Winters first talks to his men, then getting onto the plane. The episode ends with the C47 planes flying into the sky. ''"Good luck! And let us all beseech the blessing under the almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking." '' -Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower Trivia * Captain Herbert Sobel's actor,David Schwimmer was kept from most of the other cast members during boot camp, to help generate a feeling of resentment among the men. Schwimmer joked that his only friend on set was Simon Pegg - who played Sobel's right hand man Evans. Category:Episodes